The Baltimore Ravens suddenly have questions at quarterback.
Baltimore is placing Tyler Huntley on the reserve/COVID-19 list ahead of Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals, ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷ÍøNetwork's Ian Rapoport and Aditi Kinkhabwala reported Saturday. He will not play against Cincinnati.
Huntley missed practice Friday with what was called a non-COVID illness.
Normally, a backup QB being ruled out before a big game wouldn't be major cause for concern. But as of Friday evening, Huntley was expected to start for Baltimore with Lamar Jackson missing practice again this week with his ankle injury. Jackson was listed as questionable in Friday's injury report but was not expected to play.
The Ravens announced Saturday that Jackson will not travel to Cincinnati for Sunday's game; special teams coach T.J. Weist will also not be with the team.
That leaves journeyman quarterback Josh Johnson in line to start against the Bengals in a crucial AFC North clash, Kinkhabwala reported. Johnson, who was the only healthy QB at Friday's practice, was signed off of the New York Jets practice squad on Dec. 15 as Jackson battled his ankle injury.
Baltimore is also signing quarterback Kenji Bahar and plans to elevate him to back up Johnson on Sunday, Rapoport and ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷ÍøNetwork's Tom Pelissero reported. Baltimore's fourth QB, Chris Streveler, is on the practice squad/COVID-19 list.
In one extended game appearance this year for New York, Johnson was 27-of-41 for 317 yards, three touchdowns and a pick in a shootout loss to the Indianapolis Colts. Johnson filled in for the injured Mike White in that game and helped the Jets climb back into what was a blowout.
Johnson has yet to make an appearance for Baltimore this season. That should change Sunday in a game that could well end up deciding who is crowned AFC North champion at the end of the season. Both Baltimore and Cincinnati are tied atop the division at 8-6 -- Cincy holds the tiebreaker at the moment -- and Pittsburgh and Cleveland, with seven wins each, are nipping at their heels.
Baltimore is no stranger to injury woes this season; you could argue no team has been more afflicted by the bug than John Harbaugh's Ravens. But the adversity brought on by Saturday's news is something completely different.
